Publication certifying system, viewing-access-log recording server, publishing-access-log recording server, digital-signature server, and information terminal for access-to-view

ABSTRACT

A system can certify that electronic data has been notified and published on a network. The system comprise an information providing server having a published information storing function and a published information bulletin function, and a viewing-access-log recording server having a data trapping function and a data storing function. The system is widely used as a service certifying that various information from a company has been notified and published as electronic data on the communication network, or that various technical information has been published as electronic data on the communication network to be public knowledge.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1) Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a publication certifying system,a viewing-access-log recording server, a publishing-access-log recordingserver, a digital-signature server, and an information terminal foraccess-to-view for use to certify that electronic data has been storedin a viewable and accessible state by a third party on a communicationnetwork, that is, the electronic data has been published to the thirdparty on the communication network. The present invention can be widelyused as a means (service) for certifying that various information (forexample, product fault information, product call-back information, etc.relating to recall) from a company has been notified and laid open on acommunication network, or that various technical information has beenpublished as electronic data on a communication network.

[0003] 2) Description of Related Art

[0004] It becomes general in these years that information is notifiedand published as electronic data on the Internet [for example, the WWW(World Wide Web)] instead of disclosing the information on a printedmatter such as a paper.

[0005] More concretely, a person who desires to notify informationaccesses to an information providing server over the Internet from aninformation terminal such as a personal computer or the like, andtransmits the information desired to be published on the informationproviding server to store the information in a state in which theinformation can be accessed from the outside in the informationproviding server. A third party can view the electronic data stored inthe information providing server only by accessing to the informationserver over the Internet from an information terminal such as a personalcomputer or the like.

[0006] Meanwhile, a digital signature technique that is a combination ofa public key encryption technique and a message-digest creationtechnique starts to be used in recent years in order to certify whenelectronic data has been created.

[0007] When a range of examples known in the public involves informationpublished on the Internet in patent examination, or when a companynotifies product fault information, product call-back information andthe like relating to recall on the WWW, it is necessary to not onlycertify a date/time at which electronic data of the information has beencreated but also certify that the electronic data has been notified andpublished in a place (server) readily accessible from a third party, orcertify a period in which the electronic data has been notified andpublished.

[0008] For instance, it is relatively easy to certify that informationon magazines and the like has been published since most of all themagazines and the like are saved in the National Diet Library. On thecontrary, it is difficult to certify a date/time (period) at whichelectronic data has been notified and published in a state in which athird party can view the electronic data on a communication network. Inpresent, a method or system for certifying publication of electronicdata on a communication network is not established, there is thus astrong demand for development of a method or system therefor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] In the light of the above problem, an object of this invention isto certify that various information has been, as electronic data, in astate where anyone can access to the information on a communicationnetwork, that is, the electronic data has been notified and published onthe communication network, thereby giving admissibility similar to thatof a printed matter or a published matter to the information notifiedand published on the communication network.

[0010] The present invention therefore provides a publication certifyingsystem comprising an information providing server comprising a publishedinformation storing function of storing published information to beprovided as electronic data, and a published information bulletinfunction of providing the published information to an informationterminal accessing over a communication network in order to view thepublished information, and a viewing-access-log recording servercomprising a viewing-access-log obtaining function of obtaining thepublished information viewed on the information terminal over thecommunication network and an access date/time to the publishedinformation as a viewing-access-log, and a viewing-access-log storingfunction of storing the viewing-access-log obtained by theviewing-access-log obtaining function.

[0011] The present invention further provides a viewing-access-logrecording server comprising a viewing-access-log obtaining function ofobtaining published information viewed over a communication network andan access date/time to the published information as aviewing-access-log, and a viewing-access-log storing function of storingthe viewing-access-log obtained by the viewing-access-log obtainingfunction.

[0012] The present invention still further provides apublishing-access-log recording server comprising apublishing-access-log obtaining function of obtaining informationtransmitted to and published in an information providing server over acommunication network and a publishing date/time of the information as apublishing-access-log, and a publishing-access-log storing function ofstoring the publishing-access-log obtained by the publishing-access-logobtaining function.

[0013] The present invention still further provides a digital-signatureserver configuring a publication certifying system with the aboveinformation providing server and the viewing-access-log recordingserver, comprising a time-stamp adding function of adding a time stampto the viewing-access-log, and an enciphering function of encipheringthe viewing-access-log added the time stamp using a secret key of thedigital-signature server to put a digital signature to the time-stampedviewing-access-log.

[0014] The present invention still further provides an informationterminal for access-to-view configuring a publication certifying systemwith the above information providing server and the aboveviewing-access-log recording server, the information terminalperiodically having an access of viewing the published information inthe information providing server in order to intentionally leave a logof the access of viewing the published information in theviewing-access-log recording server.

[0015] As described above, the publication certifying system, theviewing-access-log recording server, the publishing-access-log recordingserver, the digital-signature server and the information terminal foraccess-to-view according to this invention provide the following effectsor advantages:

[0016] (1) In the publication certifying system or theviewing-access-log recording server of this invention, when a thirdparty accesses to published information from the information terminalover a communication network in order to view the published informationstored in the information providing server, the published information isprovided to the third part by the published information bulletinfunction. At this time, the published information viewed by the thirdparty and an access date/time to the published information are obtainedand stored as a viewing-access-log in the viewing-access-log recordingserver.

[0017] Since contents and a viewing date/time of published informationviewed by the third party are recorded as a viewing-access-log as above,the publication history of the published information can be stored in aprovable form by the viewing-access-log. It is thus possible to certifythat the published information has been, as electronic data, in a statein which anyone can access thereto on the communication network at leastat viewing date/time, that is, the electronic data has been notified andpublished on the communication network. Consequently, it is possible togive admissibility similar to that of a printed matter or a publishedmatter to information published on a communication network.

[0018] (2) When a person who desires to publish information transmitsthe information to the information providing server over a communicationnetwork to publish it, the information notified and published by theperson who desires to publish and a publishing date/time of theinformation are recorded as a publishing-access-log in thepublishing-access-log recording server of this invention. It is thuspossible to store a publishing history of the published information in acertifiable form by the publishing-access-log, and certify that thepublished information has been, as electronic data, in a state in whichanyone can access thereto on the communication network after thepublishing date/time, that is, the electronic data has been notified andpublished on the communication network. It is therefore possible to giveadmissibility similar to that of a printed matter or a published matterto information published on a communication network.

[0019] (3) In the digital-signature server of an electronic notarycompany or the like that is a third party, a digital signature is put,using a secret key of the digital-signature server, to a time-stampedviewing-access-log obtained by the viewing-access-log recording server.It is thereby possible to certainly prevent the viewing-access-log frombeing altered. Since a date and time almost corresponding to the viewingtime is added as a time stamp, it is possible to more raiseadmissibility of the viewing-access-log, that is, reliability of theviewing-access-log as evidence.

[0020] (4) The information terminal for access-to-view periodically hasa viewing access to published information, whereby a viewing access tothe published information is recorded and stored periodically andautomatically in the viewing-access-log recording server. Even whenthere is no access to the published information from a third party, itis possible to certainly prove that the published information has been,as electronic data, in a state in which anyone can access to thepublished information on a communication network, that is, theelectronic data has been notified and published on the communicationnetwork, in at least a viewing access term by the information terminalfor access-to-view if the term is predetermined. It is thus possible togive admissibility similar to that of a printed matter or a publishedmatter to information notified and published on the communicationnetwork.

[0021] (5) It becomes possible to give admissibility similar to that ofa printed matter or a published matter to electronic data, whereby theelectronic data published on the communication network can be adopted asan example of public knowledge in term of patent. Accordingly, it ispossible to decrease a cost of patent applications by a company, whichincreases with overheating, trifling patent competition, and eliminate awasteful load on the patent office.

[0022] (6) Since it becomes possible to give admissibility similar tothat of a printed matter or a published matter to electronic data asabove, the following significance can be provided in business:

[0023] (6-1) A service of not only electronic notary, but alsodisclosure recording of information disclosure, or certifying thatinformation has been accessible can be provided, so that possibility ofcreating new business is largely extended.

[0024] (6-2) By a service of anonymously publishing a new technique, aclient company can lay open the new technique as public knowledgeinformation without revealing a development trend of the company. It istherefore possible to prevent a technique that is vague to be granted apatent or not from being applied unreasonably, thus to decrease a costof patent applications.

[0025] (6-3) It is possible to largely shorten a time required untilrelease (time required until information is laid open) as compared witha general printed matter of technical laid-open publication. For this,it is possible to lessen a risk that the other applies the similar ideawhile the information is prepared to be published.

[0026] (7) By providing a service of certifying a date/time whenelectronic data has been published on a communication network in a statewhere a third party can view, the electronic data can be used asevidence in various aspects.

[0027] (8) Since terminal information on an information terminal havingaccessed to published information is obtained and stored as aviewing-access-log, it is possible to specify which information terminalhas had a viewing access to the published information and which route isused for the viewing access on the basis of the terminal informationincluded in the viewing-access-log, which in turn can raisesadmissibility of the viewing-access-log.

[0028] (9) Since a message digest of published information is createdand stored as published information in a viewing-access-log, it ispossible to efficiently use a storage area of a hard disk or the likefor actually storing the viewing-access-log.

[0029] (10) One server is used as both the information providing serverand the viewing-access-log recording server, it becomes unnecessary toprepare two kinds of servers separately, which allows a simple structureof the publication certifying system.

[0030] (11) Since a viewing-access-log is put a digital signature andstored in the viewing-access-log recording server, it is possible tocertainly prevent the viewing-access-log from being altered, which canraise admissibility of the viewing-access-log.

[0031] (12) By locating a plurality of the information terminals foraccess-to-view in a plurality of countries, respectively, it is possibleto certainly leave evidence (viewing-access-log) that publishedinformation in the information providing server has been able to beaccessed to be viewed from a plurality of countries.

[0032](13) Since the information terminal for access-to-view has aviewing access via a server of an Internet service provider, not only aviewing-access-log but also an access record is automatically left inthe server of the provider. It is thus possible to leave accessinformation with higher reliability.

[0033] (14) A function as the viewing-access-log recording server isincorporated in a proxy server of an Internet service provider. Whereby,it is possible for the information terminal to easily use thepublication certifying system of this invention only by changing a proxyserver designated by Internet browser software generally used in theinformation terminal to a proxy server having a function as theviewing-access-log recording server. The Internet service provider canthereby readily provide a new service.

[0034] (15) A person who desires to publish information transmitsidentification information and a password beforehand given to the personto the information providing server over a communication network, andthe information providing server confirms the person on the basis of theidentification information and the password, then publishes theinformation as published information. The information providing servercan manage an access to publish the information using the identificationinformation and the password. It is thereby possible to readily providesuch a new information publishing service as to collect fee for eachpiece of published information, for example.

[0035] (16) The identification information and the password aredescribed on a prepaid card purchased by a person who desires topublish. A remaining amount of time of the prepaid card is madecorrespond to a number of times information is published in theinformation providing server, and fee for publishing information iscollected. It is thereby possible to publish the information in theinformation providing server while assuring high anonymity of a personwho desires to notify, thus possible to provide an anonymous informationpublishing service.

[0036] (17) The viewing-access-log recording server also fulfills afunction as the publishing-access-log recording server, theviewing-access-log obtaining function functions as thepublishing-access-log obtaining function, and the viewing-access-logstoring function functions as the publishing-access-log storingfunction. Whereby, it becomes unnecessary to prepare two kinds ofservers, separately, which allows a simple structure of the publicationcertifying system.

[0037] (18) The viewing-access-log storing function of theviewing-access-log recording server stores published informationincluded in a viewing-access-log in a compressed state, so that astorage area of a hard disk or the like for actually storing the viewingaccess can be efficiently used.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a publication certifying systemaccording to a first embodiment of this invention;

[0039]FIG. 2 is a diagram for illustrating an example of access-logobtained and stored according to the embodiment;

[0040]FIG. 3 is a flowchart for illustrating an operation according tothe first embodiment;

[0041]FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a structure of a publicationcertifying system according to a second embodiment of this invention;

[0042]FIG. 5 is a flowchart for illustrating an operation according thesecond embodiment;

[0043]FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a structure of a publicationcertifying system according to a third embodiment of this invention;

[0044]FIG. 7 is a flowchart for illustrating an operation according tothe third embodiment;

[0045]FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a structure of a publicationcertifying system according to a fourth embodiment of this invention;

[0046]FIG. 9 is a flowchart for illustrating an operation according tothe fourth embodiment;

[0047]FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a structure of a publicationcertifying system according to a fifth embodiment of this invention;

[0048]FIG. 11 is a flowchart for illustrating an operation according tothe fifth embodiment;

[0049]FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a structure of a firstmodification of the publication certifying system according to the fifthembodiment of this invention;

[0050]FIG. 13 is a flowchart for illustrating an operation of the firstmodification according to the fifth embodiment;

[0051]FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing a structure of a secondmodification of the publication certifying system according to the fifthembodiment of this invention;

[0052]FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing a structure of a publicationcertifying system according to a sixth embodiment of this invention;

[0053]FIG. 16 is a flowchart for illustrating an operation according tothe sixth embodiment;

[0054]FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing a structure of a modificationof the publication certifying system according to the sixth embodimentof this invention; and

[0055]FIG. 18 is a flowchart for illustrating an operation of themodification according to the sixth embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0056] Hereinafter, description will be made of embodiments of thepresent invention with reference to the drawings.

[0057] [1] Description of First Embodiment

[0058]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a structure of a publicationcertifying system according to a first embodiment of this invention. Asshown in FIG. 1, the publication certifying system 1A according to thefirst embodiment comprises an information providing server 10, apublished information access-log recording server (viewing-access-logrecording server) 20A.

[0059] The information providing server 10 provides publishedinformation to an information terminal 30 over a communication network2, which comprises a data transmitting/receiving function 11, apublished information storing function 12 and a published informationbulletin function 13 to be described later. Incidentally, thisembodiment will be described by way of example where the communicationnetwork 2 is the WWW (World Wide Web) configured on the Internet.

[0060] The published information access-log recording server 20A isdisposed between the information providing server 10 and the informationterminal 30 on the communication network 2, which comprises a datatransmitting/receiving function 21, a data trapping function 22 and adata storing function 23 to be described later in order to record anaccess-log to the information providing server 10 (publishedinformation) by the information terminal 30. According to thisembodiment, data groups transmitted/received between the informationproviding server 10 and the information terminal 30 are transmitted viaor pass through the published information access-log recording server20A.

[0061] In the information providing server 10, the datatransmitting/receiving function 11 transmits information to thepublished information access-log recording server 20A and receivesinformation from the published information access-log recording server20A over the communication network 2.

[0062] The published information storing function 12 stores publishedinformation to be provided as electronic data.

[0063] In order to provide published information to the informationterminal 30 accessing to the published information bulletin function 13over the communication network to view the published information, thepublished information bulletin function 13 reads published information(electronic data) from the published information storing function 12,and sends the information through the data transmitting/receivingfunction, the communication network 2 and the published informationaccess-log recording server 20A to the information terminal 30.

[0064] In the published information access-log recording server(viewing-access-log recording server) 20A, the datatransmitting/receiving function 21 transmits information to theinformation providing server 10 or the information terminal 30, andreceives information from the information providing server 10 or theinformation terminal 30 over the communication network 2.

[0065] The data trapping function (viewing-access-log obtainingfunction) 22 obtains published information viewed on the informationterminal 30 over the communication network 2 and an access-log of theinformation terminal 30 including a date/time of the access to thepublished information as a viewing-access-log (published informationaccess-log, viewing access record evidence data group).

[0066] Namely, when the information terminal 30 has a viewing access tothe information providing server 10, the data trapping function 22 trapsthe above various data as a viewing-access-log from a data group (datagroup transmitted via or passing through the published informationaccess-log recording server 20A) exchanged between the informationterminal 30 and the information providing server 10 over thecommunication network 2.

[0067] Here, the data trapping function 22 obtains both publishedinformation viewed and an access-log of the information terminal 30.Alternatively, the data trapping function 22 may be separated intodifferent functions of separately obtaining the published informationand the access-log (for example, a viewing data trapping function and anaccess-log function).

[0068]FIG. 2 is a block diagram for illustrating an example ofaccess-log obtained and stored according to this embodiment. As shown inFIG. 2, the access-log includes domain information, remote hostinformation, browser name information and reference directoryinformation along with an access date and an access time. The access-logis not limited to the above example. Terminal information relating tothe information terminal (access source) 30 that has accessed to thepublished information such as a communication network address, a name,an access route and the like on a viewer's (information terminal 30)side may be obtained as the access-log.

[0069] The data storing function (viewing-access-log storing function)23 makes a pair of published information data and an access-log trappedby the data trapping function 22, and stores the pair as aviewing-access-log (published information access-log, viewing accessrecord evidence data group).

[0070] The information terminal 30 is used to retrieve and viewpublished information in the information providing server 10 asdescribed above. The information terminal 30 is, for example, a personalcomputer or an information terminal equipment such as a portabletelephone or the like, which comprises a data transmitting/receivingfunction 31 and a WWW browser 32.

[0071] The data transmitting/receiving function 31 transmits informationto the published information access-log recording server 20A, andreceives information from the published information access-log recordingserver 20A over the communication network 2. The WWW browser (internetbrowser software) 32 is used when a viewing access or the like is had tothe information providing server 10 over the communication network 2,that is, the WWW.

[0072] The information providing server 10 is configured with a computersuch as a personal computer or the like. The data transmitting/receivingfunction 11, the published information storing function 12 and thepublished information bulletin function 13 described above areaccomplished by hardware or software on the computer.

[0073] Similarly, the published information access-log recording server20A is configured with a computer such as a personal computer or thelike. The data transmitting/receiving function 21, the data trappingfunction 22 and the data storing function 23 described above areaccomplished by hardware or software on the computer.

[0074] Next, operations of the publication certifying system 1A and thepublished information access-log recording server 20A in the abovestructures according to the first embodiment will be described withreference to a flowchart (steps S11 to S16) shown in FIG. 3.

[0075] A person (a viewer, a third party) who desires to view publishedinformation in the information providing server 10 boots up theinformation terminal 30 (WWW browser 32), connects it to thecommunication network 2, and has a viewing access to the informationproviding server 10 over the communication network 2 (step S11).

[0076] The information terminal 30 first accesses to the publishedinformation access-log recording server 20A (step S12), then accesses tothe information providing server 10 (step S13), whereby the informationterminal 30 gets into a state in which the information terminal 30 canview the published information in the information providing server 10.

[0077] In the information providing server 10, published informationthat the viewer desires is retrieved in and read out from the publishedinformation storing function 12 by the published information bulletinfunction 13 according to an instruction from the information terminal30, and sent back to the information terminal 30 via the publishedinformation access-log recording server 20A to be provided to the viewer(step S14).

[0078] When the published information passes through the publishedinformation access-log recording server 20A, the published informationviewed by the viewer (the third party) and an access-log of theinformation terminal 30 including an access date/time to the publishedinformation are trapped as a viewing-access-log by the data trappingfunction (step S15) , and stored by the data storing function 23 (stepS16) in the published information access-log recording server 20A.

[0079] In the publication certifying system 1A, when the informationterminal 30 on the viewer's side has an access to published informationin the information providing server 10, the information terminal 30accesses via the published information access-log recording server 20A,as described above. In the published information access-log recordingserver 20A, contents data of the published information accessed andviewed by the information terminal 30 and the access-log including anaccess date/time, etc. are stored as a viewing-access-log in thepublished information access-log recording server 20A. As theaccess-log, not only an access date/time but also terminal informationsuch as a communication network address, a name, an access route and thelike on the viewer's side is trapped and stored. The viewed publishedinformation data viewed on the information terminal 30(viewed-information) and the access-log are made a pair and stored asabove, it is thereby possible to leave evidence that the above publishedinformation data has been accessible as published information.

[0080] In the publication certifying system 1A and the publishedinformation access-log recording server 20A according to the firstembodiment of this invention, contents and a viewing date/time ofpublished information viewed by a viewer that is a third party can berecorded as a viewing-access-log, and publication history of thepublished information can be stored in a provable form by theviewing-access-log. It is therefore possible to prove that the publishedinformation has been in a state in which everyone can access to thepublished information on the communication network at least at thatviewing date/time, that is, to prove that the electronic data has beennotified and published on the communication network 2. Therefore, it ispossible to give admissibility similar to that of a printed matter or apublished matter to information published on the communication network 2by the information providing server 10.

[0081] By using the publication certifying system 1A and the publishedinformation access-log recording server 20A according to the firstembodiment of this invention, it is possible to provide services of notonly electronic notary but also disclosure records of informationdisclosure and proof of being accessible. This provides a goodpossibility of creation of new business.

[0082] Further, terminal information (communication network address,name, access route and the like) relating to the information terminal 30having accessed to the published information is obtained as aviewing-access-log. On the basis of the terminal information included inthe viewing-access-log, it is possible to specify on which route theinformation terminal 30 has had a viewing access to the publishedinformation, which can increase admissibility of the viewing-access-log.

[0083] Still further, with use of the publication certifying system 1Aaccording to this embodiment, a service of certifying a date/time atwhich electronic data has been published in a state in which theelectronic data can be viewed by a third party on the communicationnetwork 2 becomes possible. This in turn allows the electronic data tobe used as evidence in various aspects.

[0084] For instance, in the view of PL (Product Liability) Law, thecompany can certify a term during which problem information or call-backinformation of a product has been published on the Web (communicationnetwork) and thus viewable, thereby certifying that the company makes aneffort to perform the liability for notification.

[0085] Conversely, by using this service, the consumer can record andstore with a third party digital signature a fact that the company haspublished a specific page, thereby leaving evidence of an extravagantadvertisement or a breach of contact. Namely, not the managing side ofthe information providing server 10 uses this service, but users whoaccess to the information use this service. When a slanderous orlibelous document is published on the open bulletin board on the Web(communication network 2), it is possible to certainly leave evidence ofa defamation with use of the publication certifying system 1A.

[0086] In the above first embodiment, the information providing server10 and the published information access-log recording server 20A areseparately described for the sake of convenience. However, both afunction as the information providing server 10 and a function as thepublished information access-log recording server 20A may be physicallyincorporated in one server machine. The server here signifies a serveras a function. Use of one server as both the information providingserver 10 and the published information access-log recording server 20Acan eliminate necessity for separately providing two kinds of servers,thus can configure the publication certifying system 1A more simply.

[0087] A function as the published information access-log recordingserver 20A may be incorporated in a proxy server of the Internet serviceprovider. In such case, only by changing a proxy server designated by aWWW browser (Internet browser software) 32 generally used in theinformation terminal 30 to a proxy server having a function as thepublished information access-log recording server 20A, it is possible toreadily use the publication certifying system 1A. It is also possiblefor the Internet provider to readily provide a new service.

[0088] Still further, the data storing function 23 of the publishedinformation access-log recording server 20A may store publishedinformation included in a viewing-access-log in a compressed form. Inconsideration of a storage capacity of a hard disk or the like, it ismore desirable that published information data, which is viewed on theinformation terminal 30 and stored along with the access-log, is storedin a compressed form than as it is. By compressing the data as this, itis possible to efficiently use a storage area of a hard disk or the likefor actually storing the viewing-access-log.

[0089] [2] Description of Second Embodiment

[0090]FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a structure of a publicationcertifying system according to a second embodiment of this invention. InFIG. 2, like reference characters designate like or corresponding partsdescribed above, detailed descriptions of which are thus omitted.

[0091] As shown in FIG. 4, the publication certifying system 1Baccording to the second embodiment is similarly configured to thepublication certifying system 1A according to the first embodiment.However, the publication certifying system 1B has a publishedinformation access-log recording server (viewing-access-log recordingserver) 20B instead of the published information access-log recordingserver 20A according to the first embodiment. The published informationaccess-log recording server 20B comprises a message-digest creatingfunction 24 along with a data transmitting/receiving function 21, a datatrapping function 22 and a data storing function 23 similar to thoseaccording to the first embodiment.

[0092] The message-digest creating function 24 creates a message digestof published information trapped by the data trapping function 22. Thedata storing function 24 according to the second embodiment stores,instead of the original of published information, a message digestcreated from contents data of the published information(viewed-information) by the message-digest creating function 24.

[0093] Algorithm such as MD5 (Message Digest algorithm 5) or the like isused to create a message digest. Alternatively, message digests of allviewing-access-logs may be created by the message-digest creatingfunction 24, and stored in the data storing function 23. Namely, amessage digest of an access-log of the information terminal 30 may bealso created, and the message digest created from the access-log by themessage-digest creating function 24 may be stored, instead of theoriginal of an access-log of the information terminal 30, in the datastoring function 23 according to the second embodiment.

[0094] The published information access-log recording server 20B isconfigured with a computer such as a personal computer or the like,similarly to the published information access-log recording server 20Aaccording to the first embodiment. The data transmitting/receivingfunction 21, the data trapping function 22, the data storing function 23and the message-digest creating function 24 are accomplished by hardwareor software on the computer.

[0095] Next, operations of the publication certifying system 1B and thepublished information access-log recording server 20B in the abovestructures according to the second embodiment will be described withreference to a flowchart (steps S21 to S27) shown in FIG. 5.

[0096] A person (a viewer, a third party) who desires to view publishedinformation in the information server 10 boots up the informationterminal 30 (WWW browser 32) to connect it to the communication network2, and has a viewing access to the information providing server 10 overthe communication network (step S21) similarly to the first embodiment.

[0097] The information terminal 30 first accesses to the publishedinformation access-log recording server 20B (step S22), accesses to theinformation providing server 10 (step S23), then gets into a state inwhich the information terminal 30 can view the published information inthe information providing server 10.

[0098] In the information providing server 10, the published informationthat the viewer desires is retrieved in and read out from the publishedinformation storing function 12 by the published information bulletinfunction 13 according to an instruction from the information terminal30, and sent to the information terminal 30 via the publishedinformation access-log recording server 20B to be provided to the viewer(step S24).

[0099] When the published information passes through the publishedinformation access-log recording server 20B, the published informationviewed by the viewer (the third party) and an access-log of theinformation terminal 30 including a date/time of the access to thepublished information are trapped as a viewing-access-log by the datatrapping function 22 in the published information access-log recordingserver 20B (Step S25).

[0100] According to the second embodiment, a message digest of thepublished information data trapped by the data trapping function 22 iscreated by the message-digest creating function 24 (step S26). A pair ofthe message digest and the access-log of the information terminal 30 arestored by the data storing function 23 (step S27).

[0101] In the publication certifying system 1B, the information terminal30 on the viewer's side accesses to published information via thepublished information access-log recording server 20B when accessing tothe published information in the information providing server 10,similarly to the publication certifying system 1A according to the firstembodiment. In the published information access-log recording server20B, a message digest created from contents data of the publishedinformation accessed and viewed by the information terminal 30 and anaccess-log including an access date/ time are stored as aviewing-access-log.

[0102] In this case, it is necessary to store published information laidopen and notified by the information providing server 10 in thepublished information storing function 12 even after the publication ofthe published information ends. A reason of this is that when a messagedigest of the published information is used as evidence of thepublication, it is necessary to create a message digest using the samealgorithm as that used by the message-digest creating function 24 fromthe published information stored by the published information storingfunction 12, and compare the created message digest with a messagedigest included in the viewing-access-log to confirm whether quite thesame message-digest is created or not.

[0103] Alternatively, an access-log of the information terminal 30 maybe stored not in the published information access-log recording server20 but in the information providing server 10, and only a message digestincluded in the viewing-access-log may be stored in the publishedinformation access-log recording server 20B.

[0104] When the published information access-log recording server 20Bmanages viewing records of published information in a plurality ofinformation providing servers 10, for example, it is more realistic thatpublished information is stored in a form of a message digest ofcontents data of the published information than that the original of thepublished information is stored, when considering a capacity of therecord medium.

[0105] An access-log in a small quantity of data of the informationterminal 30 is stored as it is in the published information access-logrecording server 20B. Whereby, it becomes unnecessary to coincide arecord format in the information server 10 for the access-log of theinformation terminal 30 with a record format in the publishedinformation access-log recording server 20B for the same.

[0106] Accordingly, it is a practical way that only contents data ofpublished information data is digested and stored, whereas an access-logof the information terminal 30 is stored as it is.

[0107] As above, it is possible to leave evidence that the publishedinformation data has been accessible as published information by makinga pair of a message digest of the published information data viewed onthe information terminal 30 and a viewing-access-log (viewing accessrecord evidence data group) and storing them.

[0108] The publication certifying system 1B and the publishedinformation access-log recording server 20B according to the secondembodiment provide the similar functions and effects to the firstembodiment. It is further possible to efficiently use a storage area ofa hard disk or the like for actually storing a viewing-access-log bystoring published information data in a form of message digest.

[0109] [3] Description of Third Embodiment

[0110]FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a structure of a publicationcertifying system according to a third embodiment of this invention. InFIG. 6, like reference characters designates like or corresponding partsdescribed above, detailed descriptions of which are thus omitted.

[0111] As shown in FIG. 6, the publication certifying system 1Caccording to the third embodiment is configured almost similarly to thepublication certifying system 1B according to the second embodiment.However, the publication certifying system 1C according to the thirdembodiment has a published information access-log recording server(viewing-access-log recording server) 20C instead of the publishedinformation access-log recording server 20B according to the secondembodiment. The published information access-log recording server 20Ccomprises an enciphering function 25 along with a datatransmitting/receiving function 21, a data trapping function 22, a datastoring function 23 and a message-digest creating function 24 similar tothose according to the second embodiment.

[0112] The enciphering function 25 enciphers a viewing-access-log to bestored by the data storing function of the published informationaccess-log recording server 20C with a secret key of the publishedinformation access-log recording server 20C to put a digital signatureto the viewing-access-log.

[0113] Namely, the enciphering function 25 puts a digital signature topublished information data viewed on the information terminal 30 or amessage digest thereof, and an access-log of the information terminal 30having had a viewing access to the published information or a messagedigest thereof to be stored as a viewing-access-log by the data storingfunction 23 of the published information access-log recording server20C, using a secret key of the published information access-logrecording server 20C. Note that the enciphering function 25 according tothe third embodiment puts a digital signature to a viewing-access-logincluding a message digest of published information data and anaccess-log of the information terminal 30, using a secret key of thepublished information access-log recording server 20C.

[0114] The published information access-log recording server 20C isconfigured with a computer such as a personal computer or the likesimilarly to the published information access-log recording server 20Aaccording to the first embodiment. The data transmitting/receivingfunction 21, the data trapping function 22, the data storing function23, the message-digest creating function 24 and the enciphering function25 are accomplished by hardware or software on the computer.

[0115] Next, operations of the publication certifying system 1C and thepublished information access-log recording server 20C in the abovestructure according to the third embodiment will be described withreference to a flowchart (steps S31 to S38) shown in FIG. 7.

[0116] A person (a viewer, a third party) who desires to view publishedinformation in the information providing server 10 boots up theinformation terminal 30 (WWW browser 32) to connect it to thecommunication network 2, and has a viewing access to the informationproviding server 10 over the communication network 2 (step S31),similarly to the second embodiment.

[0117] The information terminal 30 first accesses to the publishedinformation access-log recording server 20C (step S32), accesses to theinformation providing server 10 (step S33), then gets into a state inwhich the information terminal 30 can view the published information inthe information providing server 10.

[0118] In the information providing server 10, published informationthat the viewer desires is retrieved in and read out from the publishedinformation storing function 12 by the published information bulletinfunction 13 according to an instruction from the information terminal30, sent to the information terminal 30 via the published informationaccess-log recording server 20C to be provided to the viewer (step S34).

[0119] When the published information passes through the publishedinformation access-log recording server 20C, the data trapping function22 traps the published information viewed by the viewer (the thirdparty) and an access-log of the information terminal 30 including anaccess date/time to the published information as a viewing-access-log(step S35), and the message-digest creating function 24 creates amessage digest of the trapped published information (step S36) in thepublished information access-log recording server 20C.

[0120] According to the third embodiment, the enciphering function 25enciphers a viewing-access-log including the message digest of thepublished information data and the access-log of the informationterminal 30 using a secret key of the published information access-logrecording server 20C to put a digital signature thereto (step S37).Then, the data storing function 23 stores the viewing-access-log put thedigital signature thereto (step S38).

[0121] In the publication certifying system 1C, the information terminal30 on the viewer's side accesses to published information in theinformation server 10 via the published information access-log recordingserver 20C when accessing to the published information in theinformation providing server 10 as above, like the publicationcertifying system 1B according to the second embodiment. Aviewing-access-log put a digital signature thereto is stored in thepublished information access-log recording server 20C.

[0122] According to the third embodiment of this invention, thepublication certifying system 1C and the published informationaccess-log recording server 20C provide similar functions and effects tothe first and second embodiments. Additionally, it is possible tocertainly prevent a viewing-access-log from being altered since theviewing-access-log is stored with a digital signature, which furtherincreases admissibility of the viewing-access-log.

[0123] [4] Description of Fourth Embodiment

[0124]FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing a structure of a publicationcertifying system according to a fourth embodiment of this invention. InFIG. 8, like reference characters designate like or corresponding partsdescribed above, detailed descriptions of which are thus omitted.

[0125] As shown in FIG. 8, the publication certifying system 1Daccording to the fourth embodiment is configured almost similarly to thepublication certifying system 1C according to the third embodiment.However, the publication certifying system 1D according to the fourthembodiment further comprise a third party digital-signature server 40along with an information providing server 10 and a publishedinformation access-log recording server 20C similar to those accordingto the third embodiment.

[0126] The third party digital-signature server 40 belongs to, forexample, an electronic notary company. The third party digital-signatureserver 40 is communicably connected to the published informationaccess-log recording server 20C over the communication network 2, whichcomprises a data transmitting/receiving function 41, a time-stamp addingfunction 42 and an enciphering function 43 to be described later inorder to further put a digital signature to a viewing-access-log(viewing-access-log record evidence data group) to which a digitalsignal has been put by the published information access-log recordingserver 20C.

[0127] The data transmitting/receiving function 41 transmits information(for example, a viewing-access-log put a digital signature thereto andthe like) to the published information access-log recording server 20C,and receives information (for example, a viewing-access-log to be put adigital signature thereto and the like) from the published informationaccess-log recording server 20C.

[0128] When the time-stamp adding function 42 receives information(here, a viewing-access-log to which a digital signature has been put inthe published information access-log recording server 20C) received bythe data transmitting/receiving function 41, the time-stamp addingfunction 42 adds a time stamp (for example, a date and a time when theviewing-access-log is received) to the viewing-access-log.

[0129] The enciphering function 43 enciphers the viewing-access-logadded the time stamp thereto with a secret key of the third partydigital-signature server 40 to put a digital signature to thetime-stamped viewing-access-log.

[0130] The time-stamped viewing-access-log put the digital signaturethereto is sent back to the published information access-log recordingserver 20C over the communication network 2 by the data transmittingfunction 41, and stored by the data storing function 23.

[0131] The third party digital-signature server 40 may further comprisea data storing function (viewing-access-log storing function) 44 forstoring the time-stamped viewing-access-log to which the digitalsignature has been put by the enciphering function 43. In such case, thetime-stamped viewing-access-log to which the digital signature has beenput may be sent back to the published information access-log recordingserver 20C and stored in the data storing function 23 as above, orstored in only the data storing function 44 of the third partydigital-signature server 40.

[0132] Next, operations of the publication certifying system 1D and thethird party digital-signature server 40 according to the fourthembodiment will be described with reference to a flow chart (steps S31to S37, and S41 to S46) shown in FIG. 9. A process at steps S31 to S37shown in FIG. 9 is similar to that shown in FIG. 9, description of whichis thus omitted.

[0133] According to the fourth embodiment, a viewing-access-log (viewingaccess record evidence data group) to which a digital signature has beenput by the enciphering function 25 of the published informationaccess-log recording server 20C is transmitted to the third partydigital-signature server 40 over the communication network 2 by the datatransmitting/receiving function 21.

[0134] When the data transmitting/receiving function 41 of the thirdparty digital-signature server 40 receives a viewing-access-log from thepublished information access-log recording server 20C (step S42) thetime-stamp adding function 42 adds a time stamp to the received data,then the enciphering function 43 enciphers the time-stampedviewing-access-log with a secret key of the third partydigital-signature server 40 to put a digital signature thereto (stepS43)

[0135] After that, the data transmitting/receiving function 41 transmitsthe viewing-access-log to which the digital signature has been put(enciphered) at step S43 to the published information access-logrecording server 20C over the communication network 2 (step S44)

[0136] When the data transmitting/receiving function 21 of the publishedinformation access-log recording server 20C receives the encipheredviewing-access-log from the third party digital-signature server 40(step S45), the data storing function 23 stores the encipheredviewing-access-log (step S46).

[0137] According to the fourth embodiment, the publication certifyingsystem 1D and the third party digital-signature server 40 providesimilar functions and effects to the first to third embodiments.Additionally, since a time-stamped viewing-access-log obtained in thepublished information access-log recording server 20C, is further put adigital signature using a secret key of the third partydigital-signature server 40, it is possible to certainly prevent theviewing-access-log from being altered. This can more increaseadmissibility of the viewing-access-log, that is, reliability of theviewing-access-log as evidence since a date/time (reception date/time)approximately corresponding to a viewing time is added as a time stamp.

[0138] The above fourth embodiment has been described by way of examplewhere digital signatures are put to a viewing-access-log (viewing accessrecord evidence data group) in both the published information access-logrecording server 20C and the third party digital-signature server 40.However, a digital signature in the published information access-logrecording server 20C may be omitted, whereas only a digital signature inthe third party digital-signature server 40 may be carried out.

[0139] [5] Description of Fifth Embodiment

[0140]FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a structure of a publicationcertifying system according to a fifth embodiment of this invention. InFIG. 10, like reference characters designate like or corresponding partsdescribed above, detailed descriptions of which are thus omitted.

[0141] As shown in FIG. 10, the publication certifying system 1Eaccording to the fifth embodiment is configured almost similarly to thepublication certifying system 1D according to the fourth embodiment.However, the publication certifying system 1E according to the fifthembodiment further comprises a plurality (three in FIG. 10) ofinformation terminals 50 for access-to-view along with an informationproviding server 10, a published information access-log recording server20C and a third party digital-signature server 40 similar to thoseaccording to the fourth embodiment.

[0142] The purpose of each of the information terminals 50 is tointentionally leave a viewing-access-log (viewing access record evidencedata group) to published information in the published informationaccess-log recording server 20C. For this purpose, each of theinformation terminals 50 has periodically (at predetermined intervals)an access of viewing the published information in the informationproviding server 10. Each of the information terminals 50 is, forexample, an information terminal equipment such as a personal computeror the like, comprising a data transmitting/receiving function 51, a WWWbrowser 52, an access-term designating function 53 and an access-sitedesignation database 54 to be described later. These informationterminals 50 are assumed to be located in plural different countries,respectively, for example.

[0143] The data transmitting/receiving function 51 transmits informationto the published information access-log recording server 20A, andreceives information from the published information access-log recordingserver 20A over the communication network 2.

[0144] The WWW browser (Internet browser software) 52 is used when aviewing access or the like is had to the information providing server 10over the communication network 2, that is, the WWW.

[0145] The access-term designating function 53 designates an access date(term, time interval) at which the information terminal 50 should accessto published information in the information providing server 10. Theaccess-site designation database 54 beforehand holds an address of anaccess site (that is, the information providing server 10) designated inorder that the information terminal 50 has a viewing access.

[0146] The WWW browser 52 of the information terminal 50 automaticallyhas a viewing access to published information in the informationproviding server 10 beforehand registered in the access-site designationdatabase 54 at each predetermined time in a predetermined term accordingto an access term designated by the access-term designating function 53.

[0147] Next, operations of the publication certifying system 1E and theinformation terminal 50 for access-to-view in the above structuresaccording to the fifth embodiment will be described with reference to aflowchart (steps S51 to S59) shown in FIG. 11.

[0148] When the information terminal 50 is booted up and connected tothe communication network 2 (step S51) the information terminal 50 (WWWbrowser 52) refers an access term designated by the access-termdesignating function 53 (step S52), and refers the database 54 and readsout an address of the information providing server 10 beforehanddesignated (step S53) The information terminal 50 automatically has aviewing access to published information in the designated informationproviding server 10 at each predetermined time in a predetermined termaccording to the access term (steps S54 to S56).

[0149] Via the published information access-log recording server 20C(step S54), the information terminal 50 accesses to the informationproviding server 10 (step S55), and gets into a state in which theinformation terminal 50 can view published information in theinformation providing server 10, like the information terminal 30described before.

[0150] In the information providing server 10, the published informationbulletin function 13 retrieves and reads the published information fromthe published information storing function 12 responsive to aninstruction from the information terminal 50, and sends back thepublished information to the information terminal 50 via the publishedinformation access-log recording server 20C (step S56).

[0151] With this, the published information access-log recording server20C and the third party digital-signature server 40 carry out processesat step S35 to S37 and steps S41 to S46 shown in FIG. 9, whereby aviewing-access-log (viewing access record evidence data group) is storedin the published information access-log recording server 20C (step S57).

[0152] After that, when the information terminal 50 stores an access-logof the viewing access (step S58) the information terminal 50 isdisconnected from the communication network 2, and stopped (step S59). Aseries of the viewing access process is then terminated.

[0153] In the publication certifying system 1E, the informationproviding server 10 or the published information access-log recordingserver 20C does not wait occurrence of a viewing access from theinformation terminal 30 (refer to FIG. 1) on the viewer's side. But theadministrator of the publication certifying system 1E beforehandprovides the information terminal 50 periodically accessing to publishedinformation in the information providing server 10 over the Internet ina predetermined term, and makes the information terminal 50 activelygenerate a viewing access to the published information.

[0154] Whereby, a viewing-access-log (viewing access record evidencedata group) is actively left in the published information access-logrecording server 20C. It becomes thus possible to leave evidence thatthe published information in the information providing server 10 hasbeen viewable in a term beforehand designated as an access term.

[0155] By disposing the information terminal 50 abroad, it is possibleto prove that an access from another country has been possible. Further,by disposing the information terminals 50 in all member nations of ParisConvention and recording that an information access has been possible,it is possible to claim that information disclosed in the informationproviding server 10 is information about a known example in terms ofpatent.

[0156] According to the fifth embodiment of this invention, thepublication certifying system 1E and the information terminal 50 foraccess-to-view provide similar functions and effects to the first tofourth embodiments. Additionally, the information terminal 50periodically has a viewing access to published information, whereby aviewing-access-log to the published information is periodically andautomatically recorded and stored in the published informationaccess-log recording server 20C.

[0157] Even when there is no viewing access to the published informationfrom a third party (for example, the information terminal 30 describedabove), it is possible to certainly certify that the publishedinformation has been accessible as electronic data by anyone even fromabroad over the communication network 2, that is, the electronic datahas been notified and published on the communication network 2, at leastin a viewing access term of the information terminal 50 if the term isbeforehand determined.

[0158] Therefore, it is possible to give admissibility similar to thatof a printed matter or a published matter to information notified andpublished on the communication network 2, more certainly.

[0159] Additionally, it becomes possible to certify not only a date thatthe electronic document has been created but also a time and period thatthe electronic document has been accessible as published informationfrom the outside over the communication network 2.

[0160] [5-1] Description of First Modification of Fifth Embodiment

[0161]FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing a structure of a firstmodification of the publication certifying system according to the fifthembodiment of this invention. In FIG. 12, like reference charactersdesignate like or corresponding parts described above, detaileddescriptions of which are thus omitted.

[0162] As shown in FIG. 12, the publication certifying system 1E-1according to the first modification is configured similarly to thepublication certifying system 1E according to the fifth embodiment.However, in the publication certifying system 1E-1 according to thefirst modification, a server 3 of an Internet service provider isinterposed between the communication network 2 and each of pluralinformation terminals 50 for access-to-view. Namely, each of theinformation terminals 50 is connected to the communication network 2 viathe server 3 of the Internet service provider.

[0163] Next, an operation of the publication certifying system 1E-1 inthe above structure according to the first modification of the fifthembodiment will be described with reference to a flowchart (steps S51 toS60) shown in FIG. 13. A process at steps S51 to S59 shown in FIG. 13 isalmost similar to that shown in FIG. 11, detailed description of whichis thus omitted.

[0164] According to the first modification of the fifth embodiment, wheneach of the information terminals 50 accesses to published informationin the information providing server 10 via the published informationaccess-log recording server 20C, the information terminal 50 isconnected to the communication network 2 via the server 3 of theInternet service provider. For this, a new process at step S60 iscarried out between step S53 and step S54 described before.

[0165] As shown in FIG. 13, after the process at step S53, theinformation terminal 50 is dial-up-connected to the server of theinternet service provider 3 (step S60), and accesses to the informationproviding server 10 via the communication network 2 and the publishedinformation access-log recording server 20C through the server 3 (stepsS54 and S55).

[0166] At step S51 shown in FIG. 11, the information terminal 50 isbooted up and connected to the communication network 2. According to thefirst modification, the information terminal 50 is only booted up atstep S51 shown in FIG. 13 since the information terminal 50 is connectedto the communication network 2 at steps S54 and S55, as described above.

[0167] As above, it is possible that an access can be had from each ofplural providers in respective plural countries to a predetermined Website (information providing server 10) via the predetermined informationaccess-log recording server 20C.

[0168] A record that a viewing access has been had via the server 3 ofthe provider is left in the viewing-access-log (access-log of theinformation terminal 50) stored in the published information access-logrecording server 20C, so that more reliable access information is left.Namely, it is possible to prove that published information has beenaccessible not from a specific 1P (Internet Protocol) address or anaccess from a communication network domain but by dial-up connection viathe server 3 of a major provider.

[0169] [5-2] Description of Second Modification of Fifth Embodiment

[0170]FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing a structure of a secondmodification of the publication certifying system according to the fifthembodiment of this invention. In FIG. 6, like reference charactersdesignate like or corresponding parts described above, detaileddescriptions of which are thus omitted.

[0171] As shown in FIG. 14, the publication certifying system 1E-2according to the second modification is configured almost similarly tothe publication certifying system 1E according to the fifth embodiment.However, in the publication certifying system 1E-2 according to thesecond modification, a proxy server 4 of an Internet service providerhas a function as the published information access-log recording server20C.

[0172] In the publication certifying system 1E-2, a function as theviewing-access-log recording server 20C is incorporated in the proxyserver 4 of the Internet service provider. Accordingly, only by changingthe proxy server designated by the WWW browser (Internet browsersoftware) 52 generally used in the information terminal 50 to the proxyserver 4 having a function as the viewing-access-log recording server20C, the information terminal 50 can readily use the publicationcertifying system 1E-2, besides the Internet service provider canreadily provide a new service.

[0173] Further, by disposing an exclusive information terminal 50 ineach nation, and automatically accessing from the information terminal50 to the Web site (information providing server 10) via the above proxyserver 4 at predetermined date or time, it is possible to automaticallyand certainly leave evidence in the proxy server 4 or the third partydigital-signature server 40 that published information in theinformation providing server 10 has been perusable from each country.

[0174] [6] Description of Sixth Embodiment

[0175] According to a sixth embodiment, an inventive-techniquepublishing server 60 (refer to FIG. 15) is set as the informationproviding server 10, for example, as will be described later.

[0176] The inventive-technique publishing server 60 always publishes aninventive technique information of a contractant having made a contractwith the server administrator. The contractant anonymously publishesinventive technique information as published information in theinventive-technique publishing server 60 instead of making a patentapplication when the contractant makes an invention in a region whereacquisition of a patent right is vague.

[0177] When such information is notified, the administrator manages anaccess with, for example, a contractant's ID and a password. At thistime, the administrator charges and collects an information notificationfee per one case, for example.

[0178] The contractant gives up a right of the patent of his (her) owninvention by publishing the technique in the inventive-techniquepublishing server 60, but can prevent other companies from applying thesimilar patent and acquiring the right. Since the technique is disclosedon a paper basis as general technical published information but on anelectronic basis, the contractant can immediately disclose afterinventing, thus can diminish possibility that the other applies thepatent while the contractant prepares the disclosure as before.

[0179] In recent situation where fractionated patents are applied, acost of patent applications increases in some company. In contrast, whenthe company does not make a patent application but holds it as still anidea, the company might not be able to use the technique if the othercompany makes the patent application.

[0180] For this, if a publishing term can be proved and theinventive-technique publishing server 60 can operate in a state in whichanyone can access thereto, the inventor can avoid the worst situation.Why the information is anonymously disclosed is to prevent someone frominvestigating such a trend of technical development that who makes whichinvention.

[0181] Further, an access-log and data contents at the time that thecontractant notifies inventive technique information in theinventive-technique publishing server 60 are stored as apublishing-access-log in the similar manner to the first to fifthembodiments. It is thereby possible to leave evidence that the inventivetechnique information has been notified. It is also possible to specifyinformation about who notifies the inventive information from thecontractant's ID.

[0182]FIG. 15 is a block diagram showing a structure of a publicationcertifying system according to the sixth embodiment. In FIG. 15, likereference characters designate like or corresponding parts describedabove, detailed descriptions of which are thus omitted.

[0183] In the sixth embodiment, the structure according to thisembodiment (publication certifying system) for certifying thatinformation has been published information will be described by way ofmore concrete example, that is, a case where this invention is appliedto a system for publishing inventive technique information to thepublic.

[0184] Accordingly, the publication certifying system 1F according tothe sixth embodiment is configured similarly to the publicationcertifying system 1E according to the fifth embodiment. However, thepublication certifying system 1F according to the sixth embodimentcomprises an inventive-technique publishing server 60 instead of theinformation providing server 10 according to the fifth embodiment, and apublished information access-log recording server 70 instead of thepublished information access-log recording server 20C according to thefifth embodiment.

[0185] The sixth embodiment further provides an information terminal 80for access-to-publish used by a person who desires to publishinformation (here, inventive technique information) to transmit andpublish the information to the inventive-technique publishing server 60.The information terminal 80 is an information terminal equipment of apersonal computer or the like, which comprises a datatransmitting/receiving function 81 similar to the information terminals30 and 50 described above, a WWW browser (Internet browser software) 82,and an inventive-technique information storing function 83.

[0186] The administrator of the inventive-technique publishing server 60makes a use contract with a person who desires to notify, therebybeforehand giving identification information (a user's ID, acontractant's ID) and a password (a pass phrase). When transmittinginventive technique information from the information terminal 80 to theinventive-technique publishing server 60 to notify it, the person whodesires to publish the information transmits the identificationinformation and the password from the information terminal 80 to theinventive-technique publishing server 60 over the communication network2 in prior thereto.

[0187] The inventive-technique publishing server (information providingserver) 60 comprises a data transmitting/receiving function 61, aninventive-technique information storing function 62, aninventive-technique information bulletin function 63, andinventive-technique information registering function 64 and a chargeinformation updating function 65.

[0188] The data transmitting/receiving function 61, theinventive-technique information storing function 62 and theinventive-technique information bulletin function 63 correspond to thedata transmitting/receiving function 21, the published informationstoring function 22 and the published information bulletin function 23described above, respectively. Note that the inventive-techniqueinformation storing function 62 and the inventive-technique informationbulletin function 63 handle more concrete inventive techniqueinformation as published information than that handled by the publishedinformation storing function 22 and the published information bulletinfunction 23.

[0189] The inventive-technique information registering function 64confirms a person who desires to publish on the basis of identificationinformation and a password transmitted from the person who desires topublish, after that, registers inventive technique informationtransmitted from the information terminal 80 in the inventive-techniquestoring function 62 to store and publish it.

[0190] When the inventive-technique information registering function 64registers the inventive technique information, the charge informationupdating function 65 updates charge information about the person whodesires to publish corresponding to the identification information inorder to collect an information notification fee from the person whopublishes the information (contractant).

[0191] The inventive-technique publishing server 60 described above isconfigured with a computer such as a personal computer or the like. Thedata transmitting/receiving function 61, the inventive-techniqueinformation storing function 62, the inventive-technique informationbulletin function 63, the inventive-technique information registeringfunction 64 and the charge information updating function 65 describedabove are accomplished by hardware or software on the computer.

[0192] The published information access-log recording server 70comprises a data transmitting/receiving function 71, a data trappingfunction 72, a data storing function 73, a message-digest creatingfunction 74 and an enciphering function 74 corresponding to theabove-described functions 21 to 25, respectively.

[0193] The published information access-log recording server 70according to the sixth embodiment has a function as apublishing-access-log recording server for obtaining and storing apublishing-access-log including data contents and a publishing date/timeof inventive technique information when the information terminal 80 hasa publishing access for the inventive technique information, along withthe similar function as the published information access-log recordingserver 20C described above, that is, a function as theviewing-access-log recording server.

[0194] For this, the data trapping function (viewing-access-logobtaining function, publishing-access-log storing function) 72 fulfillsthe similar function to the data trapping function 22 described above.The data trapping function 72 also fulfills a function as apublishing-access-log obtaining function for obtaining inventivetechnique information transmitted from the information terminal 80 overthe communication network 2 and notified in the inventive-techniquepublishing server 60, and an access-log of the information terminal 80including a publishing date/time of the inventive technique informationas a publishing-access-log (published information access-log, publishingaccess record evidence data group).

[0195] When the information terminal 30 (not shown in FIG. 15) or theinformation terminal 50 has a viewing access to the inventive-techniquepublishing server 60, or when the information terminal 80 has apublishing access to the inventive-technique publishing server 60, thedata trapping function 72 traps the above-described various data as aviewing-access-log or a publishing-access-log from a data group (datagroup transmitted via or passing through the published informationaccess-log recording server 70) exchanged between the informationterminal 30, 50 or 80 and the inventive-technique publishing server 60over the communication network 2.

[0196] As an access-log of the information terminal 80 included in thepublishing-access-log, terminal information relating to the informationterminal 80 having transmitted inventive technique information such as acommunication network address, a name, an access route, identificationinformation (contractant's ID) described above, etc. maybe furtherobtained.

[0197] The data storing function (viewing-access-log storing function,publishing-access-log storing function) 73 stores a viewing-access-logor a publishing-access-log trapped by the data trapping function 72,like the above-described data storing function 23. Theviewing-access-log or the publishing-access-log maybe stored in the datastoring function 73 in the original form at the time that the access-loghas been trapped by the data trap 72. According to this embodiment, theaccess-log is stored in a form that the access-log has been subjected tothe processing by the message-digest creating function 74, theenciphering function 75 and the third party digital-signature server 40to be described later.

[0198] The message-digest creating function 74 creates a message digestof the inventive technique information trapped by the data trappingfunction 22 using algorithm such as MD5 (Message Digest algorithm 5) orthe like. At this time, the message-digest creating function 74 maycreate message digests of all viewing-access-logs orpublishing-access-logs.

[0199] At this time, the data storing function 73 may make a pair of amessage digest of the inventive technique information and an access-logof the information terminal 30, 50 or 80, and store it as aviewing-access-log or a publishing-access-log, or store a message digestcreated from all viewing-access-logs or publishing-access-logs.

[0200] The enciphering function 75 enciphers a viewing-access-log or apublishing-access-log to be stored by the data storing function 73 usinga secret key of the published information access-log recording server70, thereby putting a digital signature to the viewing-access-log or thepublishing-access-log.

[0201] At this time, the data storing function 73 may store a result ofencipherment of a viewing-access-log or a publishing-access-log by theenciphering function 75 in a form at the time that theviewing-access-log or the publishing-access-log has been obtained by thedata trapping function 72, or store a result of encipherment of aviewing-access-log or a publishing-access-log including a message digestcreated by the message-digest creating function 74. Further, the datastoring function 73 may store a viewing-access-log or apublishing-access-log enciphered by the third party digital-signatureserver 40, as having been described in the fourth embodiment.

[0202] The published information access-log recording server 70described above is configured with a computer such as a personalcomputer or the like. The data transmitting/receiving function 71, thedata trapping function 72, the data storing function 73, themessage-digest creating function 74 and the enciphering function 75described above are accomplished by hardware or software on thecomputer.

[0203] According to this embodiment, the published informationaccess-log recording server 70 has both a function as theviewing-access-log recording server and a function as thepublishing-access-log recording server. Alternatively, these functionsmay be given to respective different servers.

[0204] Next, operations of the publication certifying system 1F, theinventive-technique publishing server 60 and the published informationaccess-log recording server 70 in the above structures according to thesixth embodiment will be described with reference to a flowchart (stepsS61 to S70) shown in FIG. 16.

[0205] Incidentally, a viewing access to inventive technique informationnotified and laid open in the inventive-technique publishing server 60and a viewing-access-log (viewing-access-log record evidence data group)due to the viewing access are recorded and stored in the similar mannerto the above-described embodiments, detailed description of which isthus omitted.

[0206] Consequently, a process (publishing access) of publishinginventive technique information in the inventive-technique publishingserver 60 by a person who desires to publish the inventive techniqueinformation (a contractant having made a use contract with theadministrator of the inventive-technique publishing server 60) will behere described in detail with reference to FIG. 16.

[0207] The person who desires to publish boots up the informationterminal 80 for access-to-publish (step S61), connects it to thecommunication network 2 (step S62), accesses to the inventive-techniquepublishing server 60 via the published information access-log recordingserver 70 (step S63), and accesses to an inventive technique publicationmenu in the inventive-technique publishing server 60 (step S64)

[0208] The person who desires to notify inputs a contractant's ID and apassword beforehand given according to an instruction of the inventivetechnique publication menu (step S65). When the inventive-techniquepublishing server 60 confirms on the basis of the inputted contractant'sID and password that the person who desires to publish is a contractant,the person who desires to publish logs in the inventive informationpublication menu (step S66).

[0209] The person who desires to publish transmits inventive techniqueinformation (invention data) that the person desires to publish in theinventive-technique publishing server 60 to the inventive-techniquepublishing server 60 from the information terminal 80 via the publishedinformation access-log recording server 70 (step S67).

[0210] At this time, the published information access-log recordingserver 70 and the third party digital-signature server 40 carry out thesimilar processes at step S35 to S37 and S41 to S46 shown in FIG. 9, forexample. Whereby, contents of the inventive technique information and anaccess-log of the information terminal 80 including at least apublishing date/time are stored as a publishing-access-log (publishingaccess record evidence data) in the published information access-logrecording server 70 (or the third party digital-signature server 40)(step S68).

[0211] After that, when the information terminal 80 stores an access-logof this publishing access (step S69), the person who desires to publishdisconnects the information terminal 80 from the communication network 2and stops it (step S70), and terminates a series of the process of thepublishing access.

[0212] As above, the publication certifying system 1F, theinventive-technique publishing server 60 and the published informationaccess-log recording server 70 according to the sixth embodiment of thisinvention provide the similar functions and effects to the first tofifth embodiments, along with the following functions and effects:

[0213] (a) Since contents and a publishing date/time of inventivetechnique information transmitted to and published in theinventive-technique publishing server 60 are recorded and stored as apublishing-access-log in the published information access-log recordingserver 70 or the third party digital-signature server 40, a notificationhistory of the published information can be stored in a form provable bythe publishing-access-log. It is thus possible to prove that thepublished information has been accessible as electronic data by anyoneon the communication network (the Internet) 2 after the publishingdate/time, that is, the electronic data has been published on thecommunication network 2. In consequence, it is possible to giveadmissibility similar to that of a printed matter or a published matterto information published on the communication network 2.

[0214] (b) Admissibility similar to that of a printed matter or apublished matter can be given to electronic data as above, so thatelectronic data published on the communication network (the Internet) 2can be adopted as an example of public knowledge in term of patent, forexample.

[0215] In view of technical development, it becomes unnecessary for acompany to apply patents or utility models of trivial ideas in afraid ofother company acquiring the right since a service enabling informationto be certainly published and certifying a publishing term of theinformation is provided as above. This realizes a reduction in patentapplication cost of the company and a reduction in load of the patentoffice.

[0216] (c) Since anonymous publishing service is possible, the clientcompany can lay open a new technique as public knowledge informationwithout revealing the development trend. Accordingly, the company orindividual can leave a disclosure record of a technique that isuncertain to be granted a patent or not as public knowledge information,avoid such technique from being applied as a patent unreasonably, anddecrease a cost of patent applications.

[0217] (d) Since inventive technique information is disclosed not on apaper basis as general technical published information but on anelectronic basis, it is possible to immediately disclose the inventivetechnique information after the idea is made. It is therefore possibleto largely decrease a time required until the inventive techniqueinformation is released when compared with general technical laid-openpublications that are printed matters, and decrease a danger that theother applies the similar idea while the inventive technique informationis prepared to be published.

[0218] (e) Use of the publication certifying system 1F as above enablesthe inventive-technique publishing server 60 to perform publishingaccess management of inventive technique information using acontractant's ID and a password. For example, it becomes possible toreadily provide such a new information publishing service thatinformation publication fee is charged and collected per one piece ofpublished information, for example.

[0219] (f) Since the published information access-log recording server70 has both functions as the viewing-access-log recording server and thepublishing-access-log recording server, it becomes unnecessary toprovide different two kinds of servers, which allows a more simplestructure of the publication certifying system 1F.

[0220] [6-1] Description of Modification of Sixth Embodiment

[0221] A modification of the sixth embodiment is effective in moreincreasing anonymity of a person who publishes information wheninventive technique information is published in the inventive-techniquepublishing server 60. The modification of the sixth embodiment providesa method in which a contractant purchases a prepaid card, and accessesto the inventive information bulletin function 63 of theinventive-technique publishing server 60 using identificationinformation (ID) and a password described on the prepaid card. At thistime, the inventive-technique publishing server 60 may count the numberof accesses (information publication number) with the same ID, and stoplog-in to the inventive-technique information bulletin function 63 whenthe count value reaches a predetermined number of times. In such case,it is desirable that the contractant beforehand sends inventivetechnique information to the third party digital-signature server or theelectronic notary server, and receives a digital signature along with atime stamp.

[0222]FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing a structure of the modificationof the publication certifying system according to the sixth embodimentof this invention. In FIG. 17, like reference characters designate likeor corresponding parts described above, detailed descriptions of whichare thus omitted.

[0223] As shown in FIG. 17, the publication certifying system 1F-1according to the modification of the sixth embodiment is configuredalmost similarly to the publication certifying system 1F according tothe sixth embodiment. However, the publication certifying system 1F-1 isprovided with an inventive-technique publishing server (informationproviding server) 60-1 instead of the inventive-technique publishingserver 60 according to the sixth embodiment. The inventive-techniquepublishing server 60-1 comprises a prepaid-balance updating function 66instead of the charge information updating function 65, along with adata transmitting/receiving function 61, an inventive-techniqueinformation storing function 62, an inventive-technique informationbulletin function 63 and an inventive-technique information registeringfunction 64 similar to those according to the sixth embodiment.

[0224] In the publication certifying system 1F-1, the administrator ofthe inventive-technique publishing server 60 beforehand issues a prepaidcard on which identification information (ID) and a password aredescribed, and a person who desires to publish inventive techniqueinformation beforehand purchases the prepaid card.

[0225] The inventive-technique information registering function 64according to this modification confirms that identification information(ID) and a password transmitted from the information terminal 80 aredescribed on a prepaid card that has been already issued and whoseamount of time does not reach the full amount of time, therebyconfirming a person who desires to publish. After that, theinventive-technique information registering function 64 registersinventive technique information transmitted from the informationterminal 80 in the inventive-technique information storing function 62to store and publish the inventive technique information.

[0226] The prepaid-balance updating function 66 makes a balance (aremaining number of times of use) of the prepaid card correspond to andassociate with the number of times the inventive technique informationis published in the inventive-technique publishing server 60. Theprepaid-balance updating function 66 may count the number of times ofaccess (the number of times information is notified) with the same ID,as described above. In such case, the inventive-technique informationregistering function 64 operates to stop log-in to theinventive-technique information bulletin function 63 when the countvalue reaches a predetermined number of times.

[0227] Next, an operation of the publication certifying system 1F-1 inthe above structure according to the modification of the sixthembodiment will be described with reference to a flowchart (steps S71 toS83) shown in FIG. 18.

[0228] In the publication certifying system 1F-1, the administrator ofthe inventive-technique publishing server 60 issues a prepaid card onwhich identification information (ID) and a password are described, asstated above. A person who desires to publish inventive techniqueinformation purchases a prepaid card (step S71) to obtain ID and apassword (step S72)

[0229] The person who desires to notify boots up the informationterminal 80 (step S73), connects it to the communication network 2 (stepS74), accesses to the inventive-technique publishing server 60 via thepublished information access-log recording server 70 (step S75), andaccesses to the inventive technique publication menu of theinventive-technique publishing server 60 (step S76).

[0230] The person who desires to publish inputs the ID and passworddescribed on the purchased prepaid card according to an instruction ofthe inventive technique publication menu (step S77). When theinventive-technique publishing server 60 confirms that the inputted IDand password are described on a prepaid card that has been alreadyissued and has not yet been used the full amount of time, the person whodesires to publish logs in the inventive information publication menu(step S78).

[0231] The person who desires to notify then transmits inventivetechnique information (invention data) desired to be published in theinventive-technique publishing server 60 from the information terminal80 to the inventive-technique publishing server 60 via the publishedinformation access-log recording server 70 (step S79). Wheninventive-technique information registering function 64 registers theinventive technique information in the inventive-technique informationstoring function 62, the prepaid-balance updating function 66 updatesthe balance such as to decrease a remaining balance (a remaining numberof times of use) of a prepaid card to which the above ID is given in theinventive-technique publishing server 60 (step S80).

[0232] At this time, the published information access-log recordingserver 70 and the third party digital-signature server 40 carry out thesimilar processes at step S35 to S37 and S41 to S46 shown in FIG. 9, forexample, whereby contents of the inventive technique information and anaccess-log of the information terminal 80 including at least apublishing date/time are stored as a publishing-access-log (publishingaccess record evidence data group) in the published informationaccess-log recording server 70 (or the third party digital-signatureserver 40) (step S81).

[0233] After that, when the information terminal 80 stores an access-logof this publishing access (step S82), the person who desires to publishdisconnects the information terminal 80 from the communication network 2and stops it (step S83), then terminates a series of the process of thepublishing access.

[0234] According to the publication certifying system 1F-1 as above, itis possible to publish inventive technique information in theinventive-technique publishing server 60 while keeping high anonymity ofa person who desires to publish, after a publication fee for theinventive technique information is collected. It is therefore possibleto provide a service of anonymous information publication.

[0235] [7] Others

[0236] Note that the present invention is not limited to the aboveexamples, but may be modified in various ways without departing from thescope of the invention.

[0237] For instance, the above sixth embodiment has been described byway of example where the published information is inventive techniqueinformation. However, this invention is not limited to this example.

What is claimed is:
 1. A publication certifying system comprising: aninformation providing server comprising a published information storingfunction of storing published information to be provided as electronicdata, and a published information bulletin function of providing saidpublished information to an information terminal accessing over acommunication network in order to view said published information; and aviewing-access-log recording server comprising a viewing-access-logobtaining function of obtaining said published information viewed onsaid information terminal over said communication network and an accessdate/time to said published information as a viewing-access-log, and aviewing-access-log storing function of storing said viewing-access-logobtained by said viewing-access-log obtaining function.
 2. Thepublication certifying system according to claim 1, wherein saidviewing-access-log obtaining function further obtains terminalinformation about said information terminal having accessed to saidpublished information as said viewing-access-log.
 3. The publicationcertifying system according to claim 1, wherein said viewing-access-logrecording server further comprises a message-digest creating function ofcreating a message digest of said published information obtained by saidviewing-access-log obtaining function; and said viewing-access-logstoring function stores said message digest as said publishedinformation in said viewing-access-log.
 4. The publication certifyingsystem according to claim 1, wherein one server fulfills both a functionas said information providing server and a function as saidviewing-access-log recording server.
 5. The publication certifyingsystem according to claim 1, wherein said viewing-access-log recordingserver further comprises an enciphering function of enciphering saidviewing-access-log to be stored by said viewing-access-log storingfunction using a secret key of said viewing-access-log recording serverto put a digital signature to said viewing-access-log.
 6. Thepublication certifying system according to claim 1 further comprising adigital-signature server comprising a time-stamp adding function ofadding a time stamp to said viewing-access-log, and an encipheringfunction of enciphering said viewing-access-log added said time stampthereto using a predetermined secret key to put a digital signature tosaid time-stamped viewing-access-log; said viewing-access-log storingfunction storing said time-stamped viewing-access-log to which thedigital signature has been put by said digital-signature server.
 7. Thepublication certifying system according to claim 1 further comprising adigital-signature server comprising a time-stamp adding function ofadding a time stamp to said viewing-access-log, an enciphering functionof enciphering said viewing-access added said time stamp using apredetermined secret key to put a digital signature to said time-stampedviewing-access-log, and a viewing-access-log storing function of storingsaid time-stamped viewing-access-log to which the digital signature hasbeen put by said enciphering function.
 8. The publication certifyingsystem according to claim 1 further comprising at least one informationterminal for access-to-view for periodically having an access of viewingsaid published information in said information providing server in orderto intentionally leave a log of the access of viewing said publishedinformation in said viewing-access-log recording server.
 9. Thepublication certifying system according to claim 8, wherein a pluralityof said information terminals for access-to-view are disposed in aplurality of countries, respectively.
 10. The publication certifyingsystem according to claim 8, wherein said information terminal foraccess-to-view is connected to said communication network via a serverof an Internet service provider.
 11. The publication certifying systemaccording to claim 1, wherein a proxy server of an Internet serviceprovider comprises a function as said viewing-access-log recordingserver.
 12. The publication certifying system according to claim 1,wherein a person, who desires to publish information, transmitsidentification information and a password beforehand given to saidperson to said information providing server over said communicationnetwork, and said information providing server confirms said person onthe basis of said identification information and said password, thenstores and publishes said information as said published information. 13.The publication certifying system according to claim 12, wherein saididentification information and said password are described on a prepaidcard purchased by said person.
 14. The publication certifying systemaccording to claim 13, wherein a remaining amount of time of saidprepaid card corresponds to the number of times information is publishedin said information providing server.
 15. The publication certifyingsystem according to claim 1 further comprising a publishing-access-logrecording server comprising a publishing-access-log obtaining functionof obtaining said published information and a publishing date/time ofsaid published information as a publishing-access-log when informationis published in said information providing server over saidcommunication network and published as said published information, and apublishing-access-log storing function of storing saidpublishing-access-log obtained by said publishing-access-log obtainingfunction.
 16. The publication certifying system according to claim 15,wherein said viewing-access-log recording server also fulfills afunction as said publishing-access-log recording server, saidviewing-access-log obtaining function functions as saidpublishing-access-log obtaining function, and said viewing-access-logstoring function functions as said publishing-access-log storingfunction.
 17. The publication certifying system according to claim 1,wherein said viewing-access-log storing function stores said publishedinformation included in said viewing-access-log in a compressed form.18. A viewing-access-log recording server comprising: aviewing-access-log obtaining function of obtaining published informationviewed over a communication network and an access date/time to saidpublished information as a viewing-access-log; and a viewing-access-logstoring function of storing said viewing-access-log obtained by saidviewing-access-log obtaining function.
 19. The viewing-access-logrecording server according to claim 18, wherein said viewing-access-logobtaining function further obtains terminal information about aninformation terminal having accessed to said published information assaid viewing-access-log.
 20. The viewing-access-log recording serveraccording to claim 18 further comprising a message-digest creatingfunction of creating a message digest of said published informationobtained by said viewing-access-log obtaining function; saidviewing-access-log storing function storing said message digest as saidpublished information in said viewing-access-log.
 21. Theviewing-access-log recording server according to claim 18 furthercomprising an enciphering function of enciphering saidviewing-access-log to be stored by said viewing-access-log storingfunction using a secret key of said viewing-access-log recording serverto put a digital signature to said viewing-access-log.
 22. Apublishing-access-log recording server comprising: apublishing-access-log obtaining function of obtaining informationtransmitted to and published in an information providing server over acommunication network and a publishing date/time of said information asa publishing-access-log; and a publishing-access-log storing function ofstoring said publishing-access-log obtained by saidpublishing-access-log obtaining function.
 23. A digital-signature serverconfiguring a publication certifying system with an informationproviding server comprising a published information storing function ofstoring published information to be provided as electronic data, and apublished information bulletin function of providing said publishedinformation to an information terminal accessing over a communicationnetwork in order to view said published information, and aviewing-access-log recording server comprising a viewing-access-logobtaining function of obtaining said published information viewed onsaid information terminal over said communication network and an accessdate/time to said published information as a viewing-access-log, and aviewing-access-log storing function of storing said viewing-access-logobtained by said viewing-access-log obtaining function, saiddigital-signature server comprising: a time-stamp adding function ofadding a time stamp to said viewing-access-log; and an encipheringfunction of enciphering said viewing-access-log added said time stampusing a secret key of said digital-signature server to put a digitalsignature to said time-stamped viewing-access-log.
 24. Thedigital-signature server according to claim 23 further comprising aviewing-access-log storing function of storing said time-stampedviewing-access-log to which the digital signature has been put by saidenciphering function.
 25. An information terminal for access-to-viewconfiguring a publication certifying system with an informationproviding server comprising a published information storing function ofstoring published information to be provided as electronic data, and apublished information bulletin function of providing said publishedinformation to said information terminal accessing over a communicationnetwork in order to view said published information, and aviewing-access-log recording server comprising a viewing-access-logobtaining function of obtaining said published information viewed onsaid information terminal over said communication network and an accessdate/time to said published information as a viewing-access-log, and aviewing-access-log storing function of storing said viewing-access-logobtained by said viewing-access-log obtaining function; said informationterminal for access-to-view periodically having an access of viewingsaid published information in said information providing server in orderto intentionally leave a log of the access of viewing said publishedinformation in said viewing-access-log recording server.